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2020 Plumfield-West Frankfort tornado
|type = EF5 tornado|image location = Illinois EF5 tornado.jpg|image caption = The tornado as it approached Plumfield|date = April 20, 2020|winds = 205 mph (330 km/h)|injuries = 75|fatalities = 13|areas = Jackson, Williamson, Franklin, and Hamilton counties in southern Illinois|times = 4:13 p.m. CDT - 5:25 p.m. CDT|damage = $130 Million|tornado season = Tornadoes of 2020 (Longform)|touchdown = 4:13 p.m. CDT}} The 2020 Plumfield-West Frankfort tornado was a violent and long-tracked EF5 wedge tornado that devastated multiple towns in rural southern Illinois. The tornado was part of a much larger tornado outbreak that took place across the South and Midwest. The tornado killed 13 people and injured 75 people along a 53.87 mile-long path and reached a peak width of 0.8 miles (1.28 km). It was the first F5/EF5 tornado to occur in Illinois since 1990, with estimated wind speeds of 205 mph (330 km/h). Meteorological Synopsis On April 19 when a vigorous upper-level trough moved through the Central and Southern Plains and collided with an unstable atmosphere along with strong wind shear and high amounts of moisture, creating a favorable environment for a large tornado outbreak. 43 tornadoes touched down across Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska on this day. The storm system moved northeast into the Midwest where the outbreak would culminate on April 20. High CAPE values of 2,000 to 2,800 J/Kg-1 and dew-points of 66 to 75 *F (19 to 25 *C) were present due to above average temperatures and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico driven north into the area, creating a highly unstable atmosphere. A 990 mb (hPa; 29.23inHg) surface low that settled over Northern Illinois along with a strong trough stretching from northern Missouri to Southern Arkansas allowed for the possibility of strong supercells to form in the afternoon. Storm-relative helicity values exceeding 450 m2s−2— indicative of strong wind shear and potentially strong rotating updrafts within these supercells was also present. Storm Track The tornado touched down at 4:13 p.m. CDT (21:13 UTC) over an open field in central Jackson County, northwest of Harrison, and began moving northeast. Tress were were either bent over or snapped at EF1 strength before the tornado moved across moving across open farmland, weaving in between houses and farmsteads for two miles. The tornado maintained EF1 strength as it damaged houses along Seattle Road and then preceded to snap more trees in a forested area and damage two farm buildings. The tornado grew to a width of 300 yards as it continued across rural Jackson County. EF2 damage occurred when another patch of forest was damaged as large trees were snapped and uprooted, a house also suffered minor damage. The tornado then caused minor damage to a landfill and moved across another forested area north of De Soto. The tornado damaged more homes as it crossed Highway 51, one of these homes lost its roof and one of its outer walls. The tornado continued northeast and then diverged more northward as it moved across rural farmland and patches of small forest for 4 miles (6.4 km), proceeding to briefly cross into the northeastern corner of Williamson County and then into southern Franklin County. The tornado had grown to 1/4 mile wide as it approached the Royalton area. The tornado caused damage to homes on the southern edge of town, one of these homes was heavily damaged at low-end EF3 intensity. The tornado again moved across rural areas for 3 miles (4.8 km), gradually growing size and intensity. Vegetation scouring became more noticeable as it moved south of the Zeigler area. A reservoir was heavily damaged with the the pumping station being completely destroyed and large trees being tossed into the ponds. The tornado changed direction again moving east-northeast parallel to Linden Street. The tornado reached a width of 1/2 mile (0.8 km) wide and was judged to have reached EF4 intensity when it destroyed two farm buildings and severely damaged a farm house. A tractor was tossed over 200 yards away and was left in a mangled clump of metal. The tornado struck another farmstead at high-end EF4 intensity and completely destroyed the farmhouse, leaving the foundation partially clear of debris. All the small buildings on the property were swept away and trees were severely debarked. The family that lived on the farmstead were able to seek shelter in an underground storm cellar and avoided any injuries. At 4:32 p.m. CDT (21:32 UTC), the tornado struck the town of Plumfield and reached peak intensity at EF5 strength when it struck homes along Linden Street. A ranch and multiple homes were leveled or swept away, while two well-constructed homes and a church were completely swept away in EF5 fashion. Trees and shrubbery were severely debarked, intense ground scouring scared the area, and sections of asphalt were stripped away from Linden Street and Plumfield Road. 9 people were killed in Plumfield, all were residents of mobile homes, while 19 others were injured. The tornado continued on its east-northeast track as it approached West Frankfort, reaching peak width at 0.80 miles wide. A farmstead an multiple homes were completely destroyed at EF4 intensity before the tornado struck several businesses at high-end EF3 strength. The tornado then crossed I-57 and began causing damage in West Frankfort at 4:40 p.m. CDT (21:32 UTC). Several homes homes and business suffered damage on the northwest side of town. A freight train was knocked off its rails and a box car was carried over 50 feet. The tornado intensified to EF4 strength as it struck the Frankfort Intermediate School and a cemetery. Much of the school's structure had collapsed and tombstones were thrown distances up to 100 yards. The tornado then left the city at 4:46 p.m. CDT (21:32 UTC) and changed direction again to the northeast. 56 people were injured within West Frankfort and four others were killed. The tornado gradually decreased in size and intensity as it continued through rural Franklin County for over 10 miles, causing moderate tree damage and passing north of the town of Thompsonville. Then it crossed into Hamilton County where it would then hit the town of Dale at EF2 intensity, causing severe roof damage but no injuries or fatalities were reported. The tornado would then continue towards the eastern edge of Hamilton County where it would dissipate over an open field at 5:25 p.m. CDT (22:25 UTC). With peak winds of 205 mph at EF5 intensity, the tornado killed 13 people and injured 75 others along a damage path 53.87 miles (86.69 km) long and peak width of 0.8 miles (1.28 km) wide. Impact The tornado caused $130 Million in damages across four separate counties and to four populated areas, most of which occurred in West Frankfort ($120 Million). Crop damage reached nearly $800,000 while damage estimates in the towns of Royalton, Plumfield and Dale, as well as other homes and farmsteads that were impacted, to be up to $9,200,000. Causalities Nine of the 13 fatalities inflicted by the tornado were caught in mobile homes on the east side of Plumfield, when the tornado reached EF5 strength. The mobile homes were swept clean away due to their frailty and the bodies of their occupants were thrown nearly half a mile away to the east. A family of four were crushed under heavy debris in their home in West Frankfort. Category:Deadly Tornadoes Category:Catastrophic Tornadoes Category:Costly Tornadoes Category:Violent Tornadoes Category:F5/EF5 Tornadoes Category:Midwestern Outbreaks